Float-controlled engine shut-off



B. S. WILLIAMS.

FLOAT CONTROLLED ENGINE SHUT-OFF. APPLICAIION FILED JUNE 10, 1920.

1,401,383. t nted De". 7, 1921.

WITNESSES km N m/mvm ATTURzVEYo PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN S. WILLIAMS, 0F NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

v FLOAT-CONTROLLED ENGINE SHUT-OFF.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. WIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Nashville, in the county of Davidson and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in Float-Controlled Engine Shut- Ofis, of which the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to improvements in automobile and other engine controlling apparatus, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed. W

One of the foremost objects of the invention is to provide means .for stopping an engine, when a fluid vital to the operation of the engine-becomes exhausted to a predetermined degree.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for automatically stopping an engine when the level of a fluid necessary to the operation of the engine, reaches a pre-,

determined low point.

More specifically, a further object of the invention is to provide an automatic cut-ofi for an engine, controlled by a float in the oil reservoir.

Another object of the invention is to provide a float-controlled engine shut-ofl which maybe employed as an indicatorof thelevel of the oil in the engine crankcase when desired. 1

Other objects and advantages will appear in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating theapplication'of the automatic shut-cit to the crank ease of an engine,

Fig. 2 is a vertical ,section of tus, and i i Fig; 3'is' a detail perspective view illustrating its employment as an oil gage the appara-' drawing. Here is shown an automobile engine 1 of any type with its carbureter 2 and intake manifold 3, and vacuum tank 4, also of any type. As is well known in the art, the vacuum tank 4 utilizes but a small portion ofthe suction created by the pistons of the engine, in lifting gasolene from a lower to a higher level. This higher level is slightly above the carbureter 2, and by the instru- Speeification 01 Letters Patent.

accompanying drawing, in

Patented Dec. 27, 1921'.

Application filed June 19, 1920. Serial No. 390,279.

.of an insuiiicient supply for the various bearings of the engine with the resultant overheating thereof. Screwed into the top of the crank case at a convenient point,- is

the plug 5, well shown in Fig; 2, which'is centrally bored at 6 to guide for the stem 7 The reduced lower end of the screw plug '5. is externally threaded so that the guide tube 8 may be screwed thereon. This tube is closed at the lower end but has a suflicient number of perforations 9 to enable the oil O to enter. There is a float 10 on the lower end of the stem 7.

This float is guided by thetube 8, but the function of the tube is not alone to guide the float, but also to prevent injury thereto by 'the violent movement of the oil in the crank case when the vehicle towhich' theengine is attached, is running. The upper end of the steni 7 terminates in a valve 11, which occupies'the' valve chamber-l2, in the hexagonal head 13 of the plug 5. This chamber merges with the bore 6 ma valve seat 14.

A suitable screw plug 15, closes the upper end of the chamber 12 and forms an abutment for'the valve 11. The reader will'un derstand at once that the tendenc of the oil 0 is to sustain the float 10 ashigli up in the tube 8 as possible, therefore naturally pressing the valve llinto firm contact with the plug. 15. It is by thismeans that undue rattling, or in fact, movement of any kind, of the stem 7, valve 11', and float 10, is prevented. Attention is first directed to Fig. l of the.

Considering both Figs. 1 and 2, it is to be observed that a pipe 16 runs from the vacuum tank 4 into one side of the chamber 12, while a ipe 17 runs from the opposite side of the c amber to the intake manifold 3. These pipes are suitably aflixed to the plug 5 bv couplings 18.

(irdinarily, there is but a single ipe line runnin from the vacuum tank to t e intake manifo d of the engine. The present arprovide a substantial the oil in the crank case reach a predetermined low an'd dangerous point, -the valve 11 will seat itself inithe conical seat 1 f the plug'5 and thus close the pipe 16, 17.,

Communication between, the vacuum "tank & and manifold 3 isthus" severed, and since the vacuum tank is thusprevented from drawing gasolene from' the source of supply, ,the enginel must'stop in a very short time. This stopping of the engine is "an indication to the operator that the oil in the i I vacuum line between the intake manifold crank case requires replenishing.

I In thus replenishing the oil, the screw cap or plug 15 ma becremoved and the rise of the level of oil observed by means of the gradua-tions 19 on the stem ,7, as clearly 2 shown in Fig. 3. Itis not only on this occasion that the float may be employed asan oil gage, but the operator may remove the screwcap 15 at any time to see, by means of the graduations 19, what the positiomof the float'lO on the oil 0' is. Obviously, if the oil level is low, he should pour more oil in v to prevent the automatic setting ofl' of the en ine in the manner described above,

hile the construction and arrangement of the improved automatic engine shut-off as herein described and claimed, is that of. a" generally preferred form, obviously modification and changes can be made without departing from the s hit of the invention.

or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1-.-

1.",The combination of a crank case and" vacuum line leading to the intake manifold of an engine, and means associated with the crank case, through which the vacuum line has continuity, controlled by the level of oil inltlie' crank case to close the vacuum line when said level reaches a predetermined low prevent'ldestruction of the vacuum extends, and means actuated by the oil in the crank case,'n ormally maintaining the con- I tinuity of the vacuum line through said 'means but closing said line when the oil level 1 reaches a predetermined low point.

3. The combination of a crank case and vacuum line leading from the intake manifold of an engine, means carried by the crank case through which the vacuum line extends, means actuated by the oil in the crank case, normally maintaining the continuity of the vacuum line through said means but closing said line when the oil level reaches a predetermined low point, and means included in said crank case carried means preventing disturbance of said controlling means by violent movlng of the oil. 4. The combination of a crank case and vacuum 'line between the intake manifold and vacuum tank of an engine, a plug, suitand vacuum tank of an engine, a plug, suit ably mounted, including a chamber through which the vacuum line has normal continuity, a float on the oil in the crank case, with a stem reaching to theplug and having a valve in said chamber to sever the continuity of the vacuum line when the float recedes to a predetermined low point with the oil, and

means associated with said plug for pre- 2 venting disturbance o f-- the float by violent movements of the oil, including a pendent closed-ended but perforated tube.

6. The combination of a crank case and vacuum line between the intake manifold and vacuum tank of an engine, a plug, suitably mounted, including a chamber through which the vacuum line has normal continuity, afloat on the oil in the crank case, with a stem reaching to the plug and having a valve in said chamber to sever the conti- I nuity of the vacuum line when the float res cedes to a predetermined low point withthe oil, and mea'ns normally fixed in the plug but removable when desired, for limiting the to the buoyancy of the float.

- 7. Means for automatically stopping an engine, comprising in combination a crank case,'with a mounting having a valve cham- ;movement of the valve in one direction due her, an intake manifold and a vacuum tank, I

with a vacuum line leading from the manifold to the chamber and from the chamber to thevacuum tank; and a-stem guided in said mounting, with a float at one end;on the oil in the crank case normally supporting a valve-on the other end inthe valve chamber ,from closing the vacuum line, but causing such closure when the float recedes with thepoint to thus oil to a predetermined low stop the engine. p

8. An engine shut-ofi', comprisinga plug with a bore widening to form a valve seat and chamber opening at the top, coupling means? ,for securing oppositely entering pipes of a vacuum line in communication with the valve chamber at the seat, a stem guided in the bore, with a float at the bottom and a valve in'said chamber at the top,

normally sustained from the seat to mainpipes of a tain tight communication, but engaging the seat when the float lowers with the 011 on' which it rests; and a screw plug in the open chamber end limiting the upward movement of said valve.

9. An engine shut-ofl, comprising a plug with a bore widening to form a'valve seat and chamber opening at the top, coupling means for securing oppositely entering vacuum line 1n communication with the valve chamber at the seat, a stem guided in the bore, with a float at the bottom and a valve insaid chamber at the top, normally sustained from the seat to maintain tight communication, but engaging the seat when the float lowers with the oil on.

which it rests; a screw chamber end limiting the of said valve,

plug in the open upward movement and a closed-ended but perforated tube pendent from the plug, containing the float for guidance and protection from violent movement of the oil.

10. A combined engine shut-ofi' and oil gage, comprising a plug to be screwed into an engine crank case, with a bore enlarging into a valve seat and valve chamber opening at the top, floatat the, bottom and valve at the top in said chamber, and ascrew plug in the end of said chamber limiting the upward movement of the valve and stem due to the buoyancy of the float, but being vremovable to permit the projection of the valve and stem out of the chamber, said stem being graduated to enable reading the level of the oil on which the float rests.

BENJAMIN s. WILLIAMS.

a stem guided in the bore, with a v 

